


Solstice Sleepovers

by letitout



Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, and then kind of delved into that weird existential crisis you get when you finish high school, kind of coming of age, sleepover shenanigans, this starts off light hearted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:47:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22312750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/letitout/pseuds/letitout
Summary: The Bad Kids make a tradition of having a sleepover every year for the Winter Solstice.
Relationships: Platonic Bad Kids, Thats right FRIENDSHIP babey
Comments: 11
Kudos: 137





	Solstice Sleepovers

**Author's Note:**

> Written for cookiesversuscream for the dimension 20 gift exchange, who requested a bad kids sleepover! Hope you had a good winter holiday and I hope you enjoy this!

¼ _Freshman Year_

“I’m not sick,” Adaine protested, her voice thick and muffled. Surrounded by a tower of crumpled tissues, cheeks and nose tinged with pink and her ears turned downwards, she did not make a convincing case. It did not take an investigation or perception check to know that Adaine Abernant was lying through her teeth. 

“Okay,” Adaine grumbled, “I’m not _that_ sick. I’m fine. If I feel like I’m going to die, I’ll go back to my room, okay?” 

This was the perk of holding their winter solstice sleepover in Jawbone and Sandralynn’s home; Adaine, at the very least, was easily accommodated for. There had been complaints about where it would be held- Fabian of course had put up a fight, detailing the benefits of having “snacks on deck” and the sophistication of his room and his technology. After a valiant effort the fact that Kristin, Adaine and occasionally Fig all lived in the same house put their residence as an unmatched winner. 

The bad kids had sprawled themselves out across the living room. It had been decorated accordingly with snowflake paper chains and blue and silver tinsel strung about. Fig had insisted on the holiday decorations. In fact, the whole thing had been planned by her, with strict instructions. One, pyjamas only. Two, everyone was to bring snacks. Three, nobody was allowed to go to sleep before midnight. And most importantly, four: nobody was allowed to critique her movie choices. 

“How festive,” Fabian remarked, as Adaine blew her nose into another tissue. Fabian was draped across the sofa, clad in silk pyjamas with _F.A.C._ embroidered on the pocket. Kristen had scoffed when he first arrived. _Really?_ She had remarked. _We get it, you’re rich. Why do rich people put their names on everything?_

Fabian had waved his arms around in a vague gesture and shot back that Kristen, “Wouldn’t know taste if it hit you in the face.”

“Hey, I have taste,” Kristen said, and then turned around to lead Fabian to the living room, revealing that the back of her pyjama shorts read _Too Powerful For God_. 

“Is anyone still watching this movie?” Riz said, nodding his head towards the TV, which carried on humming in the background. Riz, with his cotton button down pyjamas, didn’t look too different than usual. Fig had secretly begun to suspect that if Riz didn’t wear an item of clothing without buttons on it he may combust. 

“I am,” Gorgug piped up. He was leaning awkwardly over his night-bag while eating handfuls of cheap, store bought popcorn. 

“Hey Gorgug,” Fig said slowly, “What’s in your bag?” 

The bag in question was strangely large and lumpy, about double the size of the rest of the parties bags. 

“Oh, uh, nothing,” Gorgug said, adjusting his body so that it obscured his backpack further, “I guess my clothes just take up more room because I’m taller than you guys.” 

“Gorgug,” Fig said, “Give me the backpack.” 

Gorgug froze. 

“I don’t want to give you my backpack.” 

“If you’re not hiding anything, give me the backpack!” Fig said, and reached over to make a swipe for the backpack. Gorgug lunged over and cradled his bag. 

“Gorgug, you don’t have to give anyone your backpack if you don’t want to,” Adaine said. She sat at the foot of the sofa, swaddled in blankets like a newborn baby. She didn’t really know if the blankets were helping at all, but it was comfortable and Kristin and Fig had made the effort to wrap her up, so she happily complied. 

Having chosen to ignore Adaine, Kristin made a swipe for the backpack and successfully heaved it out from underneath Gorgug’s stomach. With one fell swoop, she unzipped the bag and yanked out the mystery object that had taken up so much room. 

“Oh my god,” Kristin said, the Thistlespring binder dangling from one hand, “Did your parents think we were gonna _bang_?” 

“No!” Gorgug wailed, shamefaced. He made a grab for the binder and managed to yank it from Kristen’s grasp, “They thought that maybe I was making up the sleepover. I told them to ring Sandralynn but they just told me it was better to be safe than sorry.” 

“What did they think you were doing?” Riz asked, suddenly curious. 

“They thought,” Gorgug cleared his throat, briefly considering bailing on his friends and making a break for it, “They thought I was- was going to have a sleepover with Zelda.” 

Kristen’s face lit up with glee. Gorgug buried his head in his hands, wishing the ground would swallow him up. Actually, if he scooted about a metre to the left, the piano had a collapsible floor that probably could-

“Hey, Gorgug, there’s nothing embarrassing about getting those kisses in,” Fabian said, “What base have you and Zelda gotten to?”

“This is so gross, I don’t want to listen to this,” Adaine said, scrunching up her nose in disgust. 

“I don’t know, third base?” Gorgug said. Kristen spluttered, unable to contain her sheer delight in unravelling Gorgug and prodding him for information. 

“Dude, you’ve gotten to third base?” Kristen said. 

“Yeah, like, we made out while listening to a playlist she made us,” Gorgug said. There was a pause. 

“Hold on, Gorgug,” Riz said, “What- what do you think each base is?” 

“So, first base is making out, and then second base is when you make out on the bed with the lights off, and then third base is making out while listening to music, and fourth base is-”

“Please, for the love of Fallinel, stop,” Adaine yelped, “I don’t care if fourth base is just making out while holding hands, I still don’t want to hear about it.” 

Adaine reached out from her blanket fortress, grabbed the bowl of popcorn, and pulled it towards herself. She turned her attention back to the movie, and soon the others followed suit. Riz clambered up onto the sofa and situated himself against Fabian’s outstretched arm, who grumbled about personal space, but made no attempt to readjust. Fig dragged her blanket over to Kristen and Gorgug and wrapped the three of them up into a disjointed cocoon. They lapsed into silence for a period, only broken when Riz and Adaine’s eyes began to shut and their heads started to lull. 

“Hey!” Fig yelled, snapping them into alertness, “You’re not allowed to sleep yet! It’s not even eleven!” 

“Sorry,” Adaine mumbled, “I’m sick, and this movie sucks.” 

“It does _not_ suck,” Fig said, wriggling in her cocoon of blankets, ready to protest, when Kristen stopped her. 

“We should play truth or dare,” Kristen grinned, and was immediately met with a resounding _no_ from Adaine and Riz, but an enthusiastic _yes_ from Fabian and Fig.

“I’ll go first,” Fig said. Adaine sighed and rolled her eyes. 

“Just know that I reserve the right to stop playing whenever,” Adaine said, and scooted closer to the middle of the living room. 

“Truth or dare?” Kristen asked. 

“Dare,” Fig said, and Riz gave a small grin, and suddenly the smile left Fig’s face. 

“Why are you smiling like that?” Fig asked. 

“Show us your middle school photos,” Riz said. Fig’s face paled. 

“Oh, no, you sick son of a-”

“You’re not a coward, are you?” Riz said, finding his footing and getting a swing for the game. It wouldn’t hurt to let loose every once in a while, and hey, he really wanted to see those photos, “I know Sandralynn kept all of them.” 

Fig glared at Riz and solemnly stood up, disappearing for a moment before returning with a hefty photo album. 

“ _Here,_ ” She said through a pout, much like a sulking toddler, “Have it. I don’t even care.” 

The party descended on the album like a swarm of bees. They flipped through the pages, each photo getting a bigger reaction than the last. Fig, aged 12, in a unicorn t-shirt and rainbow leggings. Fig in a cheer uniform with bunches so tight her eyebrows stretched across her forehead. Fig, a toothy, braced grin, holding a tea-party for a circle of plushies. 

“Okay, okay, that’s enough,” Fig said, attempting to snatch back the album, “And don’t say anything about my stuffies, because they’re still under my bed, and they can _hear_ you through the walls if you say anything mean about them.” 

Fig caught sight of herself, decked head to toe in pink, and winced. She threw her arms around Adaine and rubbed her cheek against Adaine’s overheating one. 

“Give me your germs, I need to be sick,” Adaine said, clinging to a protesting Adaine, “Put me out of my _misery_.” 

Truth or dare was banned shortly after by Sandralynn had to wrestle Fabian and the hangman off of the roof as he protested that he could _totally do a sick flip from here_ , _I’m no coward, just let me try_. 

“Do you know,” Sandralynn had hissed, with venom in her voice only made achievable by being a mother of a rebellious teenage daughter, “how much damage you would do if you fell from here?” 

Ordered to go to bed, the kids compiled all their blankets and pillows on the living room floor in one cocktail of silk and feathers and limbs. With the lights turned down low, they slowly began to drift to sleep. Just as they began to slip into unconsciousness, Fig began to slowly hum a familiar tune. There was a beat as recognition settled in, and then slowly, Riz began to hum as well.

Sleepily, Fig began to sing quietly under her breath, “She’s into superstitions-” 

“Fig,” Kristen’s voice cut across, dark and warning. 

“-Black cats and voodoo dolls,” Fabian piped up. Kristen swiftly kicked him under the blankets. 

“I feel a premonition,” Adaine’s voice floated into the room, the sound of her smile still managing to come through even with the muffled layer of sickness. 

“That girl’s gonna make me fall,” Gorgug joined in. 

“I swear to _Yes_ ,” Kristen said, “If you guys don’t stop-” 

“Upside, inside out,” Riz said, and suddenly all five party members except for Kristin were singing, gradually getting louder. 

“I don’t deserve this,” Kristen wailed over the top of them, “You know what? I’m never healing any of you again, if this is how you’re going to treat me. You panic _once._ I was between faith, I-”

“Living la vida loca!” Fig’s voice, loud and clear, chimed above the rest. A succession of angry bangs from the ceiling rang out and they all suddenly fell quiet as Sandralynn yelled for them to _knock it off and go to sleep_. 

“Next time you guys have a papercut I’m not helping you,” Kristen said, and turned on her side. 

“I’m sorry, Kristen,” Fig whispered, “I just really believe in Ricky Martin.” 

-

_2/4 Sophmore Year_

Upon deciding that the winter solstice sleepover would be a yearly tradition Fabian had managed to wrangle the bad kids into the Seacaster Manor. Fabian had nearly gotten more than he had bargained for- upon announcing that he rightly deserved to choose the location Fig had eagerly jumped in with _So if your house is super big, we can fit Ayda in too, right?_

This ensued an argument about who was and wasn’t allowed to come to the sleepover. Fabian, clinging to his own pride, had insisted that they all be allowed to invite whomever they pleased; his house was big enough to accommodate everyone, after all. However, Riz had quickly shut the idea down, his reasoning being that if Fig was allowed to invite Ayda, then Gorgug would bring Zelda and Kristen would bring Tracker. 

“I don’t want you guys being horny around us,” Riz had said, to which Kristen had snorted. 

“Feel free to bring Baron,” Kristen had replied, and was deftly tackled by an embarrassed Riz. 

Eventually the conclusion had been reached that they should keep it as a party members only affair. It was nice to have just the six of them after all. After spending the year surrounded by classmates or adventuring with hirelings, time along was more scarce than it had been the previous year. 

A lot had changed since Freshman year. They were all still eager and determined, but slightly worse for wear. They were less shiny, less naive. However, it was not all at a loss: with the withering of their youthful optimism, a maturity and calmness grew in its place. They were older now, maybe a little hardened, but also a little wiser. 

“Hey, Fabian,” Kristen said, sprawling out on his bed, “Have you got any- hey, are these the sheets from Fallinel?” 

“Yes, be _careful_ with them. It took a great deal of care making sure that they survived that trip,” Fabian said, narrowing his eye at Kristen, who seemed to already be cocooning herself in the sheets. 

“Okay, dude, it’s just bedding! Anyway, I was going to ask something- yeah, do you still have snuff here?” Kristen asked. 

“We are _not_ doing snuff,” Fabian huffed, “Why can’t we do something festive? We could watch a movie.” 

Fig groaned from across the room. She had only half been paying attention to the conversation- the rest of her attention span seemed to be locked onto rifling through Fabian’s drawers and adorning herself with every piece of jewellery that Fabian owned. She turned around, jangling, wiggling her ring-filled fingers.

“We watched a movie last year! Your house is pretty big, right Fabian? We could play hide and seek. Or,” Fig gasped, her eyes turning wide with excitement, “We could give someone a makeover!” 

“Not me,” Adaine said, “You’ve already done me. I fear that if you try and give me another makeover I won’t be able to escape the fate of a sailor costume this time.” 

Fabian glowered, “You would have looked nice in a sailor suit.”

Adaine hummed and closed her eyes, “Hey Fabian, guess what? I just saw a prophecy, and in that prophecy I was wearing a sailor costume and it looked super dumb, so we’re never doing that.” 

“If it’s a prophecy it’s going to come true,” Fabian muttered under his breath. 

Fig continued rifling through Fabian’s drawers until she seemed to find what she was looking for. She pulled out a ship-in-a-bottle with a flourish, looking rather pleased with herself. 

“Look, we’ll spin this, and we give a makeover to whoever it lands on!” Fig said proudly. Adaine stood up and dusted herself off. 

“Excluding me,” She said, ignoring Fig’s protests, “I’m not part of this.” 

“I don’t think it’s fair that Adaine gets to bow out. I think I might-” Gorgug started standing up, but was quickly pushed back down by Fig. 

Fig placed the bottle in the middle of the group and spun it. It whirled round and round, slowing down until it came to a stop on Riz. 

“Riz!” Fig said delightedly, “This is the best outcome. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you dressed in something that wasn’t a suit.” 

“I don’t know guys,” Riz said, suddenly looking very nervous, “I like how I look, and I don’t think Fabian will have anything here that will fit me.” 

“We can just do it with makeup!” Fig protested, “And we’ll do your hair. Take your hat off. Oh my god, I _need_ to see you in eyeliner. You totally need a goth phase, Riz. It’s a rite of passage.” 

Riz looked around the room, retreating into himself. He knew that push-back was futile, but he was still nervous. Gorgug, being somewhat of a rock-star, could probably pull off a cool goth look. Hell, even Fabian (being the son of a pirate) could probably rock some eyeliner. Riz, however… this felt like it was quickly going to turn into blackmail material. 

“What’s wrong, Riz?” Fig asked, “Wait, have you… have you already had a goth phase?” 

“No,” Riz said, his cheeks flushing against his will. 

Fig’s face split into a grin, “Oh my god, you totally have!” 

“I haven’t had a goth phase!” Riz cried out, and even while telling the truth, he couldn’t help but notice how guilty he sounded. 

“You had a goth phase, Riz?” Kristen piped up. 

“I think that’s pretty cool, man,” Gorgug said unhelpfully. 

Riz’s fingernails dug into his palms. He took a deep breath and said, “It wasn’t a goth phase!”

The room fell quiet. Even Adaine was watching him, creating a rapt teenage audience. 

“If you have to know,” Riz said, his voice quiet and his head bent, “It was… it was a Sherlock Holmes phase.” 

Silence. Riz didn’t dare look up at his peers in fear of their judgement. After a beat, he heard a snort of laughter from Fig. He looked up, and Fig clasped a hand over her mouth, barely suppressing giggles. 

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry,” She said, laughter trickling into her voice. Adaine shared a look with Fig, who then looked at Riz. 

“Riz, it was- it was very brave of you to reveal that,” Adaine said, prompting another small shriek of laughter from Fig, “the only thing is, did you ever maybe consider that you’re still _in_ that phase?” 

Riz looked around the room with horror. To his displeasure, everyone seemed to be looking at Adaine in agreement. 

“I mean, you wear the suit… and the hat…” Kristen said, vaguely gesturing and then trailing off. 

“You think I dress like Sherlock Holmes?” Riz asked. 

“You don’t?” Gorgug responded. 

“He has a coat!” Riz exploded, “And a pipe! Have you ever seen me with a _pipe_ ? I have a briefcase! I was the _briefcase kid_ , not the _pipe kid_!” 

“Now you’re The Ball,” Fabian said, only to be met with a scowl from Riz. 

“We’re missing the point!” Fig said, raising her voice above the commotion, “It doesn’t matter if you dress like Sherlock Holmes! Right now our priority is making you look like a goth.” 

Riz sighed. With his ego already wounded, he didn’t see how some eyeliner and maybe some nail polish would make a difference at that point. 

“ _Fine_ ,” He said, and Fig took the opportunity to pounce. 

Surprisingly, getting a makeover was much more relaxing than Riz had expected it to be. The bad kids worked as a team, each taking on roles not too dissimilar from when they fought together. This was a battle, just a different type of one- it was a battle between Fig’s eyeliner pencil and Riz constantly blinking, or between Kristen’s hairbrush and Riz’s hair which had tangled beneath his flat cap. Fig grabbed Riz by the cheeks and instructed him to stop squirming, which did somewhat dull the relaxation of it all, but he quickly settled back into the rhythm of being pampered. Besides, once Kristen actually started braiding parts of his hair it felt pretty nice. Fabian meticulously painted Riz’s nails with a bottle of black nail polish that Fig had stuffed inside of her bag. Adaine carefully plucked at Riz’s eyebrows and Gorgug watched, ready with some black lipstick in his hand. If Riz was honest, the lipstick was what he was least looking forward to, even with the girls prodding and poking him. If anything were to bring him from goth to clown territory, black lipstick was probably going to be the thing to do it. Riz, however, had to yelp and pull away after feeling a sudden coldness behind one ear. Fig was standing above him with an ice cube in one hand and a needle in the other, telling Riz to hold still. He was willing to put up with some of Fig’s antics, but an impromptu piercing that he had A. not consented to and B. was very likely going to get infected was not something Riz was going to endure. 

Eventually Fig grabbed Riz by the shoulders and planted him in front of the grand, gilded mirror in Fabian’s room. Riz stared at himself, expecting a grand transformation for better or for worse, and was mildly surprised to see himself staring back, albeit with some eyeliner and braids in his now styled hair. 

“I mean,” Riz said, “It’s not terrible. But I’m not going goth.”

Riz reached up to sweep some of his hair out of his eyes, and Fabian grabbed his wrist with a huff. 

“Be _careful_ The Ball, the polish hasn’t dried yet,” Fabian said, admiring his own craftsmanship, “I’m quite good at that. Does anyone else want their nails painted?” 

Years of glass-blowing and calligraphy had given Fabian a knack for the delicate intricacies that nail-painting required, and soon the bad kids were lying around, each having had their nails painted and their hair tugged at by either Fig or Kristen. Fig had even convinced some of the other party members to try face masks. 

One by one, they slowly dozed off to sleep, the smell of nail polish and discarded pizza filling the air. After months of exhaustion and sleep deprivation, that night none of them had nightmares. 

-

¾ Junior Year 

“Don’t say anything,” Adaine said, walking into the sleepover with her arms folded across her exposed midriff. The sight was somewhat of a shock- Adaine was not one for a crop-top. She seemed somewhat uncomfortable, but mostly determined. The other bad kids, having already arrived at Sklonda’s flat in the Strongtower Luxury Apartment, gawped at the sight. “Aelwyn gave it to me, okay? She was… making an effort. So I’m going to make an effort.” 

Adaine’s new clothing choice was not the only change among the group of friends that year. Kristen had chopped most of her hair off after handing Tracker a pair of kitchen scissors and telling her that _my parents were the ones who wanted me to have long hair, not me_. It had resulted in a choppy cut that Kristen was pretty happy with and suited her. Fig had dyed her hair multiple shades of red, orange and yellow to match Ayda, and because _it looked super badass._ Gorgug had even switched out his pullover hoodie for a zip-up hoodie. 

“You look good, Adaine,” Fabian said, and Adaine gave him a tight smile, “Now that everyone’s here, shall we do secret Sol?” 

Gorgug looked around the room in confusion, “We were doing secret Sol?” 

“No,” Adaine said, raising an eyebrow at Fabian. Fabian glanced over to a pile of presents. 

“Oh! No idea how these got here, then. Sol must have left them,” Fabian said. 

“You know you don’t have to keep pretending you didn’t buy us gifts when you did,” Adaine said, “You can just give them to us.” 

“Where’s the fun in that?” Fabian asked, and handed out the presents. They were both lavish and thoughtful in Fabian’s usual style. Fabian was getting used to letting himself be kind, learning that showing just how much you liked someone and being vulnerable around them took a certain type of strength. Bill Seacaster had been ruthless due to his circumstances; he had to be cold to survive. But being an equal part of a party and not a captain of a crew had taught Fabian that sometimes the opposite is true; sometimes you need to rely on and trust others in order to stay alive. 

“How are things going with _Yes?_ ” Riz asked Kristen after they had all settled down to pick at the take-out that Sklonda had provided. 

Kristen sighed, “I don’t know. I kind of hate them. I mean, who lets a teenager create a whole god? Why would anyone let a fourteen year old create a religion that they have to live with for the rest of their life? When you think about it, Aguefort is kind of a fucked-up place.” 

Gorgug rolled over on his side to look at Kristen, “What do you mean?” 

“I mean,” Kristen sighed, looking at the ceiling, “I know we’re probably going to do dangerous stuff as adults. It’s why we go the academy. But I died on my first day there. And other kids have died, but they weren’t brought back like we were. Why are we fighting these battles? Why were a bunch of fifteen to seventeen year old’s sent to retrieve the Nightmare King’s crown last year? We get put in danger too big for us over and over again. I keep feeling like my world is going to end over and over again, and I don’t know if that’s just what being a teenager is always going to feel like or if the adults around us have made this world almost impossible for us to survive in.” 

Gorgug was quiet for a moment, and then, “It does feel kind of unfair. But I think I would die again if it meant that I got to be put in an adventuring party with you guys every single time. I know that’s not a good answer. But that’s just kind of how I feel.” 

A quiet falls over the room. When the conversation picks back up it’s about crushes and bullies and teachers. The bad kids play the part of teenagers for the night, wondering how much of youth they can still cling to before it all runs out. 

-

_4/4 Senior Year_

“I can’t believe it’s almost over,” Adaine said, prodding the fire. The Thistlespring tree was too small to accommodate all six of the bad kids and so they opted to camp outside. The night was cold but the fire kept them warm. The flames flickered and licked the air, casting a golden glow over the ground around it. Small embers rose into the air and then dissipated just as quickly as they had appeared. 

“The school is going to be awful without us,” Fabian said, and Riz poked his side, “What! It’s going to suck for them to lose their best adventuring party.” 

“We did a pretty awesome job,” Fig said, leaning her head on Adaine’s shoulder, “And hey, we’re all still alive, and most of us only died once. I think that’s a pretty good track record.” 

“I heard the Seven Maidens were going to regroup and continue as a party next year,” Kristen said, “I guess someone’s gotta tackle the really big bad guys that the sixteen year olds can’t handle.” 

There was a stillness in the air. There was an unspoken question: _so what about us? What happens now?_ They had grown up together. They had gone from slipping over tables to slaying dragons and retrieving crowns and tricking fae folk together. Now, with only a few months of school left, they were staring their future in the eyes. Without ever having the conversation, they had each made it clear what it was that they wanted to pursue after leaving Augefort. Riz was going to be a full-time licensed investigator. Adaine was going to be the oracle not just for the elves of fallinel, but for as many people as she could help. Fabian was going to venture to the seas to tackle what lay beyond the shores of Elmsville. Kristen was going to take up religious philosophy, and would begin to campaign for more cleric’s to question which deity they worshipped. Fig and Gorgug would continue on as Fig and the Sigs for as long as they could. They each had a clear cut future- it just didn’t seem to involve each other for the most part. The end of the road for the Bad Kids felt like it was quickly approaching. Their time left as an adventuring was slipping through their hands like sand. 

They could stay in contact, of course. But there was always the uncomfortable truth that they would not grow old together. Adaine and Fabian knew of the high probability that they would outlive the rest of their party, and Adaine may outlive Fabian, being the last of six. She didn’t like to dwell on it. Imagining a life where she wasn’t out in the world, travelling and investigating with the first group of people who truly felt like family hurt more than she could describe. 

“I don’t want to leave,” Adaine said suddenly, “I wish everything could just stay the same.” 

“Same,” said Fig, her voice quiet, “maybe we should all fail our final exams so we can stay on for an extra year together.” 

“When I end up failing my finals, just know I did it on purpose,” Kristen joked, but there was sadness in her voice. This was the last solstice sleepover as the Bad Kids. This was the end of things. In a world that she had built out of doubt, Kristen felt definite about something for the first time in her life. Once school finished in the summer everything would change. 

“I’m going to miss this,” Riz said, looking at the fire. 

“I’m going to miss _you,_ ” Adaine said, looking around at the friends she had found on that first day of school. Who would have thought that murdering a dinner lady with a ladle would have lead to this. Adaine had always felt out of place, lesser than, not good enough. But she had found people who saw the best in her. She had found people who had all brought out the best in each other. “Thank you for being my home.” 

Better than anyone else, Adaine knew how easily a home could burn down. But not this one. Even when years had passed, even when they had all gone their separate ways, the home that they had built together would stay standing, would stand tall and say _We were here. We were loved. And we mattered._


End file.
